Angelil has battled with cancer on and off for many years off. He was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999 and, after the cancer returned, he had a successful surgery in 2014 to remove a tumor from his throat. He joins David Bowie and Alan Rickman on the list of celebrities that have passed away from cancer this week.

Dion revealed to USA Today in August that doctors had been vague about Angelil's prognosis. "We have asked [doctors] many times, how long does he have, three weeks, three months? René wants to know," Dion said. 'But they say they don't know."

Angelil is survived by Dion, their three children René-Charles, 14, 5-year old twins Nelson and Eddy, and his adult children from a previous relationship: Anne-Marie, Patrick and Jean-Pierre.